No staffing problems at NY/NJ terminals after storm

Wednesday, November 07, 2012

Hurricane Sandy destroyed thousands of homes, left millions without power, and caused shortages of gasoline in the New York and New Jersey area, but getting sufficient workers to man marine terminals in the Port of New York and New Jersey when they reopened this week has not been an issue.
Beverly Fedorko, a spokesperson for the New York Shipping Association, said longshoremen were eager to return to work and "anxious to get the port back and running and get that feeling of contributing to the well-being of the region."
She said the NYSA hiring facility was originally without power when longshoremen were brought back to "to set the facilities to right. But once they were allowed to allow trucks in the gates and ships, we had power back and we were able to hire back with our normal process."
Three contract negotiating sessions originally scheduled for this week between NYSA and the International Longshoremen's Association were postponed because of the storm and will be rescheduled. - Chris Dupin